Woodworking

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captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works

Bench plane tuning question (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works to c/woodworking@lemmy.ca

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So I've got a goofy issue tuning my ~~block~~ bench plane. It's one of the Pony Jorgensen #4 smoothing planes they're selling at Lowe's in the States. Works pretty well with one exception: Moving the frog forward to bring the iron closer to the mouth also advances the iron.

I can't get it anywhere near as closed as you're supposed to with a smoothing plane before I can't retract the iron sufficiently. The mating surface in the sole that the frog rests on is slightly angled downward, so the frog is lowered as it is moved forward. I can't realistically bring the iron any farther on the chip breaker than I've got it.

As I had it apart, I noticed the finish on the bottom of the frog, the surface that mates with the sole, was as cast, it isn't machined or lapped. Should it be?

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[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago

Update: I finally heard back from Jorgennsen, or their parent company, Their reply: